The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

A sweet distraction – The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick follows the quirky story of a widower who finds a charm bracelet hidden in a boot in his dead wife’s belongings. Following the clues of each charm from an Indian elephant with a precious emerald, to a tiger from a nature preserve in Bath, and the thimble from a Parisian boutique, Arthur discovers more about his wife’s life than he had known.

Although both the language and the plot are contrived, you will find yourself cheering stodgy old Arthur (although he is only 69) as his odyssey takes him on adventures around the world in search of his dead wife’s true nature. In the end, of course, he finds himself.

If you are a fan of life-changing stories of otherwise uneventful lives – like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry – you will enjoy this new addition to the list.